# A Cohiba Question



## Addiction (May 8, 2007)

I have noticed that older Cohibas don't have that gold box around "Cohiba" and I'm curious when the banding was changed. If I had to guess I'd say 2002-2003 time frame based on the pictures in the MRN as well as comparisons from my collection.


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## K Baz (Mar 2, 2007)

2003 appear to be correct

link to my reference.

http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand.aspx?brand=7


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## Bax (Sep 12, 2007)

K Baz said:


> 2003 appear to be correct
> 
> link to my reference.
> 
> http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand.aspx?brand=7


 That's a great site.


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## clampdown (Feb 7, 2006)

Bryan, Im curious as to why you are up at 230...dreaming of Cohibas?


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## Bruce (Dec 31, 1999)

And the band before the one you mentioned does not have "La Habana" on it. These IMHO are some of the best Cohibas around.


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## The Professor (Jul 20, 2006)

Technically, gold embossing was first introduced on some special humidors: the 2001 35th Aniversario Humidor, the 2002 Siglo X Aniversario Humidor, and the 2003 Seleccion Reservas (which were technically first released with November & December 2002). The Reservas have the new embossed w/box band and a second "Reserva" band, while the X and 35th have embossing; but the design of the band deviates from the "standard" band style. As a standard band, though, 2003 is the year. :tu

Just wanted to add a little more info to the discussion....


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## Addiction (May 8, 2007)

The Professor said:


> Technically, gold embossing was first introduced on some special humidors: the 2001 35th Aniversario Humidor, the 2002 Siglo X Aniversario Humidor, and the 2003 Seleccion Reservas (which were technically first released with November & December 2002). The Reservas have the new embossed w/box band and a second "Reserva" band, while the X and 35th have embossing; but the design of the band deviates from the "standard" band style. As a standard band, though, 2003 is the year. :tu
> 
> Just wanted to add a little more info to the discussion....


Thats makes sense Prof, it was the reserva bands that were throwing me. Everything else I have from 02 is not embossed.


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## The Professor (Jul 20, 2006)

Addiction said:


> Thats makes sense Prof, it was the reserva bands that were throwing me. Everything else I have from 02 is not embossed.


Good ... they shouldn't be.  :tu


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## chibnkr (May 2, 2007)

The "first release" bands were in force from 1982 through around 1992/1993. Then, they were replaced with the "white square" bands (vs. "white dots) and the addition of "La Habana, Cuba" at the bottom. Ten years later, in around 2003, the new gold embossed bands were introduced. So, based on that history, we can expect new bands to appear circa 2013...LOL!


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## OpusXtasy (Apr 2, 2005)

chibnkr said:


> The "first release" bands were in force from 1982 through around 1992/1993. Then, they were replaced with the "white square" bands (vs. "white dots) and the addition of "La Habana, Cuba" at the bottom. Ten years later, in around 2003, the new gold embossed bands were introduced. So, based on that history, we can expect new bands to appear circa 2013...LOL!


White polka dots on Cohiba bands, now you have me dreaming.

OX


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## chibnkr (May 2, 2007)

First, let me start off by saying that the Cohiba marca is among my all-time favorites, despite the relative "youth" when compared to other venerable marcas such as Partagas and El Rey del Mundo. Cohiba cigars, almost without exception, age wonderfully. My boxes from the late 80s and early '90s are all smoking exceptionally well right now and should only get better over the years.

Here are the original release Cohiba bands. This particular example is from a box of 1993 Cohiba Esplendidos in my collection (which is the last year in which the "old style" bands appear...I have some Cohiba Robustos from 1993 that sport the "Second Bands" below, which leads me to believe that Cuba just used the existing stock of bands until they ran out). My 1990, 1991, and 1992 boxes of Cohiba Esplendidos and Robustos all have this style band, as do my Lanceros from the 1980s. Note the white dots and the absence of "La Habana, Cuba" at the bottom of the band.









A Cohiba Lancero box from the early 1980s. Note the significant and striking differences as compared to current production boxes (semi-plain box vs. sbn, different embellishment, cellophane, etc.).



Below are the "second" Cohiba bands. These were used from about 1993/94 through around 2003. Note the white squares, the change the placement of the "Cohiba" text from the bottom half of the band to the top half, and the addition of the "La Habana, Cuba" script.



Here is the current Cohiba band. Note the addition of the gold embossing, the smaller text size, and the elimination of the "la" from "La Habana, Cuba".



Finally, here is the band from the Cohiba 30th anniversary Dalia cigars from the jar. IMHO, this is probably the best Cohiba cigar ever made. 





Apologies for the long post, but I thought that it may be of interest to some people here.


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## The Professor (Jul 20, 2006)

Splat. :dr


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## Jay Hemingway-cl (Oct 21, 2007)

The Professor said:


> Splat. :dr


*exactly....*


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## Habana Mike (Jan 1, 2000)

chibnkr said:


> The "first release" bands were in force from 1982 through around 1992/1993. Then, they were replaced with the "white square" bands (vs. "white dots) and the addition of "La Habana, Cuba" at the bottom. Ten years later, in around 2003, the new gold embossed bands were introduced. So, based on that history, we can expect new bands to appear circa 2013...LOL!


Wow, pretty awesome precognition!


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Habana Mike said:


> Wow, pretty awesome precognition!


Mike , this thread goes back to 08


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## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

asmartbull said:


> Mike , this thread goes back to 08


I took the comment to be sincere. It was pretty prophetic since bands changed again c2012-14.


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## Habana Mike (Jan 1, 2000)

curmudgeonista said:


> I took the comment to be sincere. It was pretty prophetic since bands changed again c2012-14.


Exactly right. Was searching on something, came across this, blew my mind.

Dude called it almost right on......


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

I remember most of the guys on the earlier part of the thread. The OP turned out to be a giant scumbag.

Anyways, I don't mind seeing old threads resurrected as long as there is a good point to be made, as happened here.


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## K Baz (Mar 2, 2007)

bpegler said:


> I remember most of the guys on the earlier part of the thread. The OP turned out to be a giant scumbag.
> 
> Anyways, I don't mind seeing old threads resurrected as long as there is a good point to be made, as happened here.


One of the best parts of the site is the 10 years of cigar knowledge in an easily searchable form.


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